GIG: TOVE STYRKE/ GRANT
It’s been a big year for Tove Styrke. Her lush, slick new album Sway (we spoke to her about it here)landed, earning her much critical praise (most recently #6 in the Sunday Times Albums Of 2018 list), and catapulting her into a new level of pop stardom. She’s just wrapping up her most sprawling Scandinavian tour to date, closing it at Berns this weekend. She’s joined at that show by her new sidekick GRANT (who we also spoke to here), whose be supporting on the tour.
Dec 15, 20:00-23:00, Berns
GIG: MALL GIRL/ MELBY
Visitors from Norway again at Landet this weekend, as Mall Girl, one of the country’s most hyped new art-pop bands, pay a first visit to Sweden. One of the new wave of skittering, jazz school escapees that are dominating Norwegian indie music at the moment, they’ve already been booked in heavily on the festival circuit for next year, so this is your chance to catch them in a little venue before then. They’re joined by Stockholm indie darlings Melby.
Dec 14, 20:00-01:00, Landet
GIG: PNKSLM/LAZY OCTOPUS
Stockholm indie labels PNKSLM and Lazy Octopus share a significant amount of their philosophy in the bands they sign and their DIY attitude, so it’s natural that they’d team up for a Christmas bash. Both have booked in two artists, Lazy their dark rock star Therese Lithner (interview here) and indie-pop act Holy Now, and PNKSLM outlaw popstar Shitkid and Sibille Attar (who put out one of the year’s best songs, I Don’t Have To), with an interview with her here. It opens at 20:00.
Dec 15, 20:00-03:00, Slaktkrykan
GIG: DOLORES HAZE
Three years ago, Dolores Haze released debut album The Haze Is Forever as Stockholm’s coolest new punks, four kids barely out of school playing abrasive, fuck-you rock music. Three years on, things have changed a little. After recalibrating as a three-piece (due to losing a member to an alpaca farm obviously), they’ve expanded their sound from short, sharp punk songs on their comeback album Play Hard, Fuck Hard, Love Hard, from the slow dream-pop of the title track to the brash electro-pop of FLIP. They’re heading out on tour to push the record this winter, landing in their hometown at Debaser.
Dec 14, 20:00-03:00, Debaser Strand
MARKET: UNIQLO
It’s been a big year for the Japanese chain UNIQLO in Stockholm. They opened up their first outlet in the country on Hamngatan in August, bringing their own brands into the Swedish market. And now they’re closing out the year with a Christmas Market. UNIQLO have put together a special range of Christmas packages featuring their clothing. There will also be special edition items from other brands, as well as books on architecture and Japanese cooking. The weekend 15-16, they’ve invited fragrance brand Muro Scents CO, who will be running a sampling session for Japanese scents. The weekend 22-23, there’ll also be a special surprise event for visitors. There’ll also be a series of activities and events running during the entire market.
Dec 15-16, Hamngatan 27
Main photo: Tove Styrke by Emma Svensson
